When’s The Best Time To Start Your Diet?

Do the stars, moon, sun, and all of the planets need to be in alignment for you to start your diet?

The word diet usually means deprivation and a way of life that’s not easy, comforting, or fun.  So is there any wonder that there are tons of excuses and reasons to put off starting one?  Who wants to be deprived of food – especially if you love to eat?

Does This Sound Like You?

If you’re thinking about losing weight, do any of these seem familiar:

• “I’ll wait until Monday to start” – and then you eat enough through the week and over the weekend to pack on more weight.
• “Wow, it’s Monday, but it’s so and so’s birthday on Wednesday and we’re going out to dinner and then we’ll have cake – so I might as well wait until after Wednesday to start.”  And then it’s Thursday and you go back to “I’ll wait until Monday.”
• “I don’t have the right kind of food in the house and it’s raining outside and I can’t get to the gym – so I might as well chow down today and wait until I can stock up on the right stuff” (and when will that be?).
• “I was so ‘good’ all week and then on Friday I went out and had drinks and dessert and a ton of bread.  So I figured I ‘blew it’ and might as well eat what I want all weekend.  I can start again on Monday.”  Of course Monday comes along and another verse is added to this tune.

There’s Always A Reason — Or An Excuse – Not To Start 

You get the idea.  You can always find a reason not to start your new healthy eating plan.  How about listing the compelling reasons to want to start.

Just Start

Diets don’t work.  Maybe they do for the short-term, but it’s rare to have long lasting weight loss using a restrictive diet mentality.

Try a different approach.  Healthy eating habits are the key to success.  Finding what works for the long term may require some out of the box thinking and creative solutions.  Go for it and give it time.  Just start.

Have you ever watched an athlete look for an opening through a crowded field of players who are obstructing his or her way?  The athlete just keeps looking for an opening – an opportunity.  The ultimate choice might be unconventional and require lateral movement or some pulling back before surging forward, but without making some kind of move nothing happens.

The first step is deciding that you want to change your eating patterns.  Once you’ve decided you’re ready, look for your opening and take it – stop waiting for that elusive perfect moment in time.  You can keep telling yourself that you’ll start tomorrow — but will your “tomorrow” ever come if you don’t take some positive action to make it happen?

This article is part of the 30 day series of blog posts called: 30 Easy Tips for Looser Pants and Excellent Energy.